Articulated pillow and case



Dec. 4, 1951 J. J. TOBIAS 2,577,595

ARTICULATED PILLOW AND CASE Filed Aug. 5, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet llnvenfor:

s AV/\ Dec. 4, 1951 J, J, TOBlAs 2,577,595

ARTICULATED PILLOW AND CASE Filed Aug. 5, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2' Dec. 4,1951 J. J. roams 2 5 'ARTICULATED PILLOW AND CASE Filed Aug. 5, 194a l 4Sheets-Sheet 3 a M i w 2 a {I F M o V J 0 n p c ,r... W n f a I q Z JDec. 4, 1951 Filed Aug. 5, 1948 J. J. TOBIAS ARTICULATED PILLOW AND CASE4 Sheets-Sheet 4 brie? I Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ARTICULATED PILLOW AND CASE Joseph J. Tobias, New York, N. Y.

Application August 5, 1948, Serial No. 42,677

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to pillows, pillow cases or the like and refersparticularly to a type having two or more rectangular pillows held inflexibIe alignment by a, tubular pillow, all contained a compartmentedpillow case. The main object of my invention is to provide a pillow andcase of the general character indicated which is primarily made toproperly support the head and which will, in addition, brace the back orthe chest and relieve all neck, shoulder and back or chest muscularstrains of a sleeper;

Another object is to make a pillow and case which is pleasing inappearance, economical to produce, and easy to change, launder and use.

A further object is to produce a pillow and case: that will be useful inthe home as well as in a hospital and that may also be used to preventchildren from rolling off a bed- With these and other objects in view,the invention consists of certain other novel features of constructionand combination of parts, whose various advantages accruing from theprinciples, form and nature of my invention, will appear more fully inthe following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated several forms ofconstructing the articulated pillow and pillow case with several formsof openings in the case for admitting and retaining the pillows,embodying the various features of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a pillow and case as used bya, sleeping man.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of same showing the preferred form ofconstruction and with the end flap of one pillow extended open.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of same on line 33 of Figure 2, after theend flap is folded over.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Figures 2 and 21.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line 5-5 ofFigures'2 and 21.. I

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line 55 of Figure2, showing a modified form of construction at the scams. 4

Figure 7 is a front elevation of a modified form of construction.

Figure 8 is an end elevation on line 8'--8 of Figure-'7.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of another modifled form of construction.

Figure 10 is an end elevation on line Ill-I'll of Figure 9. v

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line ll-H of Figure 10.

Figure 12 isa front elevation of another modified' form of constructionof the pillow for use with pillow case shown in Figure 15.

Figure 13' is an end elevation of still another modification of theconstruction of the pillow and case.

Figure 14 is an end elevation on line |4-l4 of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a front elevation of another modified form of constructionof the pillow case for use with pillow shown in Figure 12.

Figure 16 .is an end elevation on line l6--|6 of Figure 15.

Figure 1'7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line l'l-ll ofFigure 15.

Figure 18 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on line l8l8 ofFigure 15, with the fastening tapes untied.

Figure 19 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line I'll-l9 of Figure15.

Figure 20' is a front elevation of a'modified form of construction.

Figure 21 is a front elevation of a modified form of constructionshowing three head pillows.

Generally, pillows are made of a filling of firm but yielding materialsuch as feathers, sponge rubber, fiuifed cotton or other vegetablefibers, contained within a suitable fabric envelope usually called tick.

When in use, it is a common practice to place the pillows within afabric container usually called a pillow case that can be changed oftenand laundered for cleanliness and sanitation and being of a finer andsofter weave and texture it will not irritate the skin. Such pillows andcases are placed on a bed or like sleeping surface and are free to bemoved about upon such surface for the purpose of supporting the head andback of a sleeper.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar parts are designated by likeletters or numerals.

All pillows and cases are held together by hemming and stitchingdesignated throughout all the drawings by the following letter symbols:S for stitching, S5 for stitched seams, H for hems at free edge ofmaterial.

Numeral designations in all figures are as follows: 20 for the left headpillow, 2| for the right head pillow, 22 for the tubular pillow, 25 forthe leftpillow case compartment, 25 for the right pillow casecompartment, 21 for the tubular pillow case compatment.

other side of their bodies with their head resting on pillows and arevery often disturbed in their sleep by lack of an adequate support fortheir backs or chests. Such persons experience, on arising, uneasy orstrained muscles of the neck, shoulders and sides often indicating achesor pain in these members.

With these conditions in mind the invention is designed to provide anarticulated pillow having two standard head pillows 20 and 2!, eitherone of which may be used for resting the head while the other is usedfor resting the back or chest,

held in end-to-end and flexible relation to each other by the tubularpillow 22, equaling in length the two end-to-end head pillows, allcontained within a compartmented pillow case as shown in Figures 2, 7and 9 and hereinafter described.

The tubular pillow being of small diameter and firm construction may beflexed to any extent necessary to change the angular relation betweenthe two head pillows, as illustrated by the dash lines in Figure 2.

In a similar manner a group of three pillows held in end-to-end relationto each other by a long tubular pillow and contained within acomp-artmented pillow case as shown in Figure 21 may be used for beddinga child whose head would rest on the center pillow 85 with the endpillows flexed around each side of the body to prevent the child fromrolling off the bed.

In the preferred construction shown in Figure 2, the pillow casecompartments for the head pillows are closed at the center as shown at3!! and are open at 3| to admit the pillows.

The pillow cases are made longer than the pillows to provide flaps thatcan be folded over as shown at 32 to retain the pillows within thecases.

To form the compartment 27 for the tubular pillow 22 and to strengthenthe construction at the flexing point 40, the opposite walls of pillowcases are stitched together over a doubled-up tape or webbing 45 ofsufficient length to extend beyond the stitched ends at 46 to form afree tietape 41.

A similar tie-tape is provided at the end of tubular pillow 21 whichwhen tied to tie-tape 41 prevents the sliding of the tubular pillow.

With certain types of fabric, these tie-tapes are not necessary and canbe cut off.

The flexing of the pillow in preparation for use is shown by dash linesin Figure 2.

A modified construction of the compartment for the tubular pillow isshown. in Figure 6, wherein separate pieces 'of fabric are joined overthe reinforcing tape or webbing and stitched to form said compartment.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figure 7, the open end ofeach of the head pillow case compartments 48 is at the top to admit thepillow and then folded over as shown at 49.

In like manner the open ends of the head pillow case compartments can beprovided at the center,

overlapping each other when open, and closed by folding over as shown at25 and 26' in Figure 20.

Each of the tubular pillows shown in Figures 7 and 20 is held in acompartment having hemmed flaps 50 at one or both ends that can beclosed by a draw string to contain said pillow.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figure 9, the open end ofthe pillow case compartment is at the top to admit both the head pillowsand the tubular pillow and then be folded over as shown at 52.

The compartment for the tubular pillow is formed by a diaphragm 55stitched to the sides of the pillow case in a manner that will leave anopening 56 at each end of said compartment for the insertion of saidpillow.

Segmental sections 5'! are stitched to the pillow cases and diaphragms55 to complete the enclosure of the pillow compartment at the center 30.

The modified form ofthe pillow and case shown in Figures 12 and 14 to19, inclusive, is quite similar to that shown and described inconnection with the preferred construction shown in Figures 2 to 5,inclusive, but an articulated pillow is provided in one piece as shownby Figure 12 that can be contained in the compartmented pillow caseshown in Figure 15.

The construction of the articulated pillow is similar to thatillustrated for the pillow case in Figure 2, except that it is made upof thick material and all ends are stitched closed to contain thefilling.

The pillow case is a compartmented envelope with all marginal edges andarticulated edges seamed and provided with a side opening near thebottom, the full length of the case, to admit the articulated pillow.

The closure for the side opening is designed to form an overlapping fiap6!! to better conceal and protect the pillow and tick.

The flap 5!) is held in place by tie-tapes 6| stitched to the flap andto the case alongside of the fiap as shown in Figures 15 and 18.

The flexing point 65 is reinforced by doublingup the case material andby double stitching.

In Figure 13 is illustrated a further possible modification of myinvention wherein the tubular pillow and compartment are replaced by anumber of folds of the fabric 10 used for the pillow case stitchedtogether around a reinforcing cord H.

A further modification may be made by replacing the tie-tapesillustrated with other fastenings such as buttons, snaps, buckles,clasps or slide fasteners.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what I nowconsider to be the preferred form of the invention and the most evidentconstruction modifications thereof, but since various minor changes maybe made by those skilled in the art without varying from the essence ofthe invention, it is intended that all such variations be includedwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An articulated pillow and pillow case comprising a plurality of headpillows disposed endto-end, a tubular pillow equal in length to thecombined length of the head pillows and an articulated pillow casesnugly enclosing all of the said pillows, maintaining correspondingsides of said head pillows in a row along one side of said tubularpillow and permitting the flexing of the tubular pillow without liftingany of the pillows from the supporting surface, thereby changing theend-to-end relation of the head pillows when a sleeper needs to use oneof the head pillows to rest his back.

2. A pillow case having a compartment for holding a tubular pillow and aplurality of independently movable compartments extending normally'inthe same direction from the first mentioned compartment and each adaptedto receive and hold a head pillow in end-to-end relation with pillows inthe adjacent compartments,

and means closing at least a substantial portion of the first mentionedcompartment and arranged to cooperate with a tubular pillow in the firstmentioned compartment to provide a pivot structure to permit the headpillows to move thereabout from said end-to-end relation.

3. A pillowcase having a compartment for holding a tubular pillow and aplurality of independently movable compartments extending normally inthe same direction from the first mentioned compartment and each adaptedto receive and hold a head pillow in end-to-end relation with pillows inthe adjacent compartments, a seam and a tape reinforcement thereinclosing at least a substantial portion of the first mentionedcompartment and arranged to cooperate with a tubular pillow in the firstmentioned com-n partment to provide a pivot structure to permit the headpillows to move thereabout from said end-to-end relation.

4. An articulated'pillow structure, comprising a multicompartment pillowcase, a tubular pillow aranged in one of said compartments and a set ofhead pillows arranged one in each of the remaining compartments, thewalls of the last mentioned compartments arranged to hold said headpillows in end-to-end relation and extending in parallelism from thefirst mentioned compartment, said remaining compartments being separatedfrom each other but being connected to the wall structure of said onecompartment, said tubular pillow having a length equal to the combinedlengths of the adjacent edges of the other pillows and forming meansabout which said head pillows may be moved edgewise from said end-toendrelation.

5. In an articulated pillow structure, the combination, with a pillowcase including a plurality of compartments, of a plurality of pillows,the wall structure of one of said compartments having a foldededgeextending along one side of the case from one end thereof to theother end, a line of stitching with a tape reinforcement thereinextending across the pillow case parallel to said edge and forming aclosure for said one comgated pillow in the first mentioned compartment,

and other pillows arranged one in each of the other compartments. 7

'6. In an articulated pillow structure, the combination of a pluralityof separate head pillows arranged in end-to-end relation with adjacenthead pillows, all secured along one edge with a continuous tapereinforcement to a tubular pillow, said tubular pillow having a lengthequal to the combined lengths of the adjacent pillows andforming meansabout which said head pillows may be moved edgewise from said end-to-endrelation, and a pillow case having a corresponding plurality ofcompartments removably encasing all of said pillows, said pillow casehaving an entrance common to all of said compartments and overlappingmeans for closing said entrance, after the articulated pillow is placedin said articulated pillow case.

7. An articulated pillow structure, comprising a multicompartment pillowcase, a set of head pillows arranged one in each of said compartments,the walls of said compartments arranged to hold said pillows inend-to-end relation separated from each other, a multifold having alength equal to the combined lengths of the adjacent edges of saidcompartments and forming means about which said head pillows may bemoved edgewise from said end-to-end relation, said manifold comprising atape, a reinforcing cord and portions of the walls of said compartmentsfolded and stitched together and to such tape.

JOSEPH J. TOBIAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 726,164 Hogan et a1 Apr. 21, 19031,540,685 Eiband June 2, 1925 2,336,707 Thompson Dec. 14, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 26,072 Great Britain of 1908

